LAHORE, Aug 3: The government officials, who will allow work on any development project before the approval of its PC-I, will have to face the music, warns the Punjab Assembly's Public Accounts Committee-II.

It also warned the Jhang district police office of action if he did not arrest a DCO office's senior official, who had allegedly embezzled Rs7 million funds of the treasury. The PAC sought a survey of canal-fed areas at tailends of various distributaries not receiving water supply due to any reason.

A meeting of the committee, headed by Azeem Nuri Ghuman, on Tuesday observed that if work on a development project was allowed before the approval of its PC-I and any audit para established on it, the amount would be recovered from the official allowing work.

It said the committee had been so far lenient in settling such audit paras, but the relaxation would not be available in future. The committee was reviewing implementation of the directives it had issued to the revenue department during the last year. It found that 60 per cent of the orders had been complied with. The officials concerned assured the body that the remaining directions would be complied with soon.

The PAC, in a reminder to Jhang DPO Safdar Husain, sought the arrest of the 'corrupt' official in the DCO's office with the warning that in case of non-compliance, action against the police officer would be recommended to the chief minister and other senior authorities.

It said the record of Safdar's office must also be seized in the presence of the DCO and a report of compliance be submitted to the Board of Revenue senior member.

The committee asked the revenue department to conduct within 60 days a survey of tailends deprived of irrigation water, and then publish an advertisement in national press, directing the affected farmers to write to the authorities concerned for seeking relief in water rate as announced by the chief minister in the house a couple of months ago.

On an audit para involving misuse of petrol facility to the tune of Rs160,000 by the former Multan deputy commissioner, it found that the inquiry officer (EDO-revenue) did not probe the matter. The committee directed that now the misused amount be recovered from the inquiry officer for showing negligence.